This document provides guidelines for fasting during Ramadan, including: - Fasting is obligatory for all able Muslims from dawn to sunset during Ramadan to attain piety. - Guidelines are given for sighting the new moon to determine the start of Ramadan, making intentions to fast, pre-dawn and breaking fast meals, and what is allowed and forbidden during fasting. - Exceptions to fasting are provided for those who are sick, elderly, traveling, pregnant, or breastfeeding, with requirements to make up missed fasts later or pay a compensation.

1. FASTING
IN
RAMADAN
A Brief Guideline
Making up for missed fasts
ŸMissed obligatory fasts can be made up any time
before the commencement of the next Ramadan.
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Quran Recitation
ŸIt is a sunnah to recite and revise the Quran during
the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Charity
ŸGiving charity generously in the month of
Ramadan is also the sunnah of the Prophet .
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Taraweeh
Ÿ'Taraweeh’ is a voluntary prayer, which is also
known as 'Tahajjud' or 'Qiyam al Layl'. This prayer has
eight 'rak'ats', however, this is a voluntary prayer and
the number of 'rak'ats' may be increased or
decreased. (Bukhari & Muslim)
I 'tikaf
ŸDuring Ramadan performing 'I'tikaf' (sitting in
seclusion in the Mosque) is a 'Sunnah Moukada
Kafaya' and its duration is the last ten days of
Ramadan. (Bukhari & Muslim)
ŸWomen should also perform 'I'tikaf' . (Muslim)
Night of Power
ŸDuring the last ten days of Ramadan, motivate the
family members to devote maximum time for worship
as it is the sunnah of Prophet . (Bukhari & Muslim)
Ÿ’Laylat al Qadr' (Night of Power) is the crowning
glory of Ramadan. The person who is unable to
benefit from the blessings of this magnificent night is
unfortunate. (Ibn e Majah)
Ÿ’Laylat al Qadr' should be sought in the odd nights
of the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari)
Supplication for :
‘'O Allah! You are The One Who pardons greatly, and love
to pardon, so pardon me.'' (Tirmidhi)
Sadaqat al Fitr
Ÿ'Sadaqat al Fitr' is compulsory on every individual.
The obligation is not limited to those people upon
whom the payment of 'Zakat' is obligatory. It should
be given before the Eid prayer. (Musnad Ahmad)
ŸThe amount of 'Sadaqat al Fitr' is one 'saa' which
is equivalent to the price of approximately 2.5 or 2.75
kilograms of grain. (Musnad Ahmad)
Eid al Fitr
ŸEid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while
'Fitr' means "to break fast"; and so the holiday
symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is
celebrated after the end of the Islamic month of
Ramadan, on the first day of Shawwal.
ŸThe 'Eid-al-Fitr' is a very joyous day; it is a day of
giving thanks for the believing men and women. On
this day Muslims show their real joy for the health,
strength and the opportunities of life, which Allah has
given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and
other good deeds during the blessed month of
Ramadan.
Sunnah of Eid
ŸWake up early, prepare for personal cleanliness,
brush your teeth, take a bath, dress up, putting on
best clothes available, whether new or old, use
perfume, take dates or some sweet before leaving for
the prayer ground, offer 'Salaat-al-Eid’ in
congregation in an open place, it is better to use two
separate routes to and from the prayer ground.
Recite the following Takbir on the way to
'Laylatul Qadr'
' '
'Salaat'
‘Salaat-al-Eid':
Allaho-Akbar, Allaho-Akbar,
La ila-ha ill-lal-Allah,
Allaho-Akbar, Allaho-Akbar,
Wa-lilahill hamd.
''
Allah is great, Allah is great, and all praises are for Allah
(Tirmidhi)
Fasts of Shawwal
Ÿ
the month of Shawwal (the month after Ramadan).
(Muslim)
For more information listen to:
'Ramadan Mubarak'
By Dr. Farhat Hashmi
August 2010, 1431 AH
Al Huda International Welfare
Foundation
Head Office
58 Nazimuddin Road, F-8/4, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Phone: +92-51-2261759
Islamabad
6-A.K.Brohi Road, H-11/4, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Phone: +92-51-4434615
Karachi
30-A Sindhi Muslim Co-operative Housing Society,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Phone: +92-21-4528547
www.farhathashmi.com www.alhudapk.com
www.alhudacanada.com
and until the beginning of
Allah is great, Allah is great, there is no god except Allah,
''
It is recommended that a person keep six fasts in
Sha'ban

2. In the name of Allah, The Entirely Merciful,
The Especially Merciful.
ŸFasting is a form of worship, prescribed by Allah
for the believers so that they attain piety.
(Al- Baqarah:183)
ŸThe word ' ' is used for fasting in Arabic. Its‫ﺻﻮم‬
literal meaning is to abstain from something.
ŸIn Islamic ' ’, it means to abstain
intentionally from food, drink and marital relations
for the sake of Allah from dawn till sunset.
ŸFasting is obligatory upon every adult, who is
sane and able to fast.
Moon-sighting
ŸThe month of Ramadan begins after sighting the
th
new moon on the 29 of Sha'ban or (if new moon is
th
not sighted) after the completion of the 30 day of
Sha'ban. (Bukhari)
Supplication for sighting a new moon
'' Allah is the Most Great. O Allah, bring upon us the new
moon with security and Faith, with peace and Islam,
and in harmony with what our Lord loves and
what pleases Him. Our Lord and your
Lord is Allah''. (Tirmidhi)
Intention
ŸIt is necessary to make the intention to fast
before the break of dawn (Fajr). (Abu Dawud)
Pre-Dawn Meal
ŸPre-Dawn Meal (Suhur) is a sunnah of the
Prophet Muhammad and there are blessings in
it. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Shari'ah
ŸIf the call for 'Fajr’ prayer (adhan) starts while
someone is eating 'Suhur’, instead of leaving it,
he/she should finish eating it. (Abu Dawud)
ŸTo hasten in breaking the fast is the sunnah of
the Prophet . The fast should be broken (Iftaar) as
soon as the sun has set. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Supplication for breaking the fast:
''The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the
reward is confirmed, if Allah wills''. (Abu Dawud)
ŸA person, who provides 'Iftaar' for a fasting
person will earn the same reward as the person
fasting. (Tirmidhi)
Supplication for the person who provides
you with food and drink to
break your fast:
''May those who fast, break their fast with you, and
those who are righteous eat your food and the angels
recite their prayers upon you.'' (Abu Dawud)
What is allowed during fasting?
ŸUse of 'Miswaak' while fasting is proven from the
sunnah. (Bukhari)
ŸApplying antimony or kohl to the eyes while
fasting does not invalidate the fast. (Bukhari)
ŸDue to extreme heat, a fasting person can take a
shower, pour water over the head and rinse the
mouth with water. (Abu Dawud)
ŸNose bleeding, 'Istihaadha' (bleeding of a woman
Breaking the fast
in between her regular periods) and blood due to
similar conditions does not invalidate the fast.
(Bukhari)
ŸCupping is permitted while a person is fasting.
(Bukhari)
ŸIf a need arises, the fasting person can taste
food by placing it at the tip of the tongue with utmost
care so that it does not reach the throat. (Bukhari)
ŸInjection taken as cure is permissible in fasting
condition. It can be injected in the vein or muscle.
ŸEating or drinking unintentionally does not
invalidate the fast. But, as soon as a person realizes
that he is fasting then he must stop and should
immediately spit out any food or drink inside the
mouth. (Bukhari)
There is no harm in swallowing one's own saliva
while fasting. (Bukhari)
ŸBleeding from teeth or gums does not affect the
fast however, the blood should not be swallowed.
ŸA person fasting is allowed to smell or use
scents.
ŸIf discharge takes place due to an unintentional
lustful thought or a wet dream, the fast is not
invalidated. (Bukhari)
What is forbidden during fasting?
ŸIf medicine taken via the nose reaches the throat
or the stomach, the fast is invalidated. (Bukhari)
ŸIt is not permissible for a fasting person to sniff
water too deep into the nose during ablution as it
might reach the throat. (Tirmidhi)
ŸMenstruation and post-natal bleeding invalidates
the fast, regardless of the time or part of day when
such bleeding commences. (Bukhari)
ŸIntentional vomiting invalidates a fast and such
fast must be made up by fasting another day,
whereas, unintentional and involuntary vomiting
does not invalidate the fast. (Abu Dawud)
Ÿ
Ÿ A person who intentionally eats or drinks
something while fasting, should sincerely repent and
make up for the fast.
ŸBackbiting, lying, abusing, fighting, and arguing
are not permitted while fasting. (Bukhari)
Ÿ Obscene language or lewd behavior is not
permitted while fasting. (Ibn e Khuzaima)
ŸIf a husband forcefully has intercourse with his
wife while she is fasting then this does not invalidate
her fast and she does not have to make up for it.
However, the husband has to make up for the fast as
well as expiation (Kafara) for the sin committed by
him. The expiation is to set free a slave, if it is not
possible, then he has to fast for two consecutive
months, if this too is not possible then he must feed
sixty needy people. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Old Person
ŸIf a person cannot fast due to old age or an
incurable disease, then he should feed one poor
person (two meals) for every missed fast. (Dar e Qutni)
Sick person
ŸIf a sick person recovers from illness and dies
without keeping the missed fasts, then his heirs
should keep his missed fasts. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Pregnant or Breast-feeding women
ŸIf it is difficult for pregnant and breast-feeding
women to fast they can make up for their missed fasts
when it is easy for them and pay the compensation
(fidiya) for the time being. However, later on they
must make up for the missed fasts. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Traveler
Ÿ It is preferable not to fast while traveling.
However, the traveler has the choice because the
Prophet sometimes used to fast and sometimes
would not fast while traveling. If the journey is
difficult and weather conditions are severe then it is
better for the traveler to delay fasting.
(Bukhari & Muslim)